Funding for Projects that Use the Arts and Media to Address the Concerns of Children (UK)

Not-for-profit organisations in the UK that are working with children and young people using the arts and creative media can apply for funding through the Ragdoll Foundation’s Open Grants Programme. The Foundation’s vision is to support projects where the concerns of childhood can be heard. A variety of art forms can be supported including dance, drama, ceramics, creative play, film, music, puppetry and storytelling. Supported projects will support equality of opportunity, can include families and take place in rural or urban settings and may be delivered, for example, in children’s and community centres, nurseries, schools and hospitals.

Organisations can apply for both one-off short-term projects and for projects lasting up to three years. Preference will be given to those projects which have a deep commitment to listening to children and allow the perceptions and feelings of children themselves to be better understood. The Foundations is mainly interested in applications that involve children during their early years, but appropriate projects for older children (up to 18 years) will also be considered.

Whilst the Foundation will fund work in and around London, they will prioritise projects taking place elsewhere in the UK.

Grants of up to £50,000 are available with £7,500 generally the smallest

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; however, the Open Grants Scheme application form and guidance notes are currently being revised and will be available on the website by end-April. Applications from 1 April onwards should be made on the new form.

Examples of grants awarded include:

Dance in Devon, £20,550 over 2 years to deliver ‘All Aboard’, a new inclusive dance project for very young disabled and non-disabled children and their families.

Discover Story Centre, Stratford, £30,988 over 2 years to expand the scope and scale its work with children 0-3 years old by creating 8 original story productions.

The Paper Birds Theatre Company, £21,102 over 1 year to develop ‘In the Red’, a performing arts project for up to 60 young people, ages 11-18 to take place across SW England, in collaboration with 3 regional theatres